Dispensing mechanism



April 12, 1938.

A; E. RQZIN ET AL DISPENSING MECHANISM Filed May 11, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l I glU.

INVENTORS. ARTHUR. E. Razz/v ARRY RV Roz/Iv April 12,1938. A. E. ROZIN ET AL 2,114,087

DISPENSING MECHANISM Filed May 11, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS'. ARTHUR. E. Rozm/ i HARRY R. Roz/Iv Patented Apr. 12, 1938 PATENT OFFICE DISPENSING MECHANISM Arthur E. Rozin and Harry R. Rozin,

Cincinnati, Ohio Application May 11, 1936, Serial No. 79,004

13 Claims.

provision of a dispensing cabinet or mechanism for dispensing articles made of paper or other flexible material, and which articles are providedwith a movable flap which is effected by an incision or cut in the body of the article, such as 1.0.; toilet seat covers having a flap within the confines of the cover.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a dispensing mechanism for articles of the kind above described which will dispose the 1&- fiapthereof in such a position as to render it noninterfering during the ejectment of the article.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an efficient dispensing mechanism for dispensing or ejecting fiat paper or other flexible articles from an enclosing cabinet.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a mechanism for accomplishing the above objects which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture yet highly efiicient in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the present inventionshould be readily apparent by reference to the following specification considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and it is to be understood that a-n-y modifications may be made in the exact structural details there shown and described, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from or exceeding the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a dispensing cabinet or mechanism embodying the improvements of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the cabinet as seen from line 2-2 on Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the cabinet and illustrating in plan the interior of the back of the cabinet as seen more particularly from line 3-3 on Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating in plan the dispensing mechanism supported on the interior of the front section of the cabinet and as seen more particularly from line 4-4 on Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view as seen from line 55 on Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view as seen from line 6-6 on Fig. 4;

Fig. '7 isa fragmentary'sectional view illustrat- ,ing the hinge connection of the front section with. the back section'- as seen from line l-| on Fig. 1;

Fig. 8- is a sectional view similar to- Fig. 3, illustrating a modification in the supporting mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view through the modified cabinet as seenfrom line 99 on Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a modified dispensing mechanism as seen from linel0-l-0 on-Fig. 9-; and

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line l-|l I of Fig. 1-0.

- Throughout the several views of the drawings similar reference characters are employed to denote the sameor similar parts.

As was noted above; this invention pertains to a dispensing cabinet or mechanism for dispensing paper articles such.as toilet seat covers. These covers are illustrated inphantom lines in Fig. 3 and as there shown comprise a body' portion l5 within the confines of which is a flap l-B bounded by the phantom lines l'| The flaps "5' have at one end thereof a neckl8 whereby they are joined to the bodyportion. The covers l5 are each of relatively thin: paper material and are manufactured in. sheaves or bundles of 250 or more. In the past, efforts have been made-to dispense these covers individually from the sheaf or stack but it was found that the free end or tab 19 of the flap l6 would fall beneath the upper surface of the uppermost cover and when said uppermost cover was-moved relative to the stack the fiap l5 carried with it. the covers immediately therebeneathwhich had become hooked with the flap [6 of the uppermost cover. This, of course, resulted in a loss of the extra covers and a waste thereof since they could not be restored to the stack.

By the invention disclosed in this application, and to be subsequently described in detail, the above disadvantages have been successfully overcome, and by this mechanism the uppermost cover, and said cover only, is dispensed at one time.

Specifically, and referring to the drawings, the dispensing cabinet or mechanism of this invention comprises afront section 20 and a rear section. 21 hingedly connected to one another by hinges 2-2 and 23. The front section 20 is formed of a piece of bendable material having a front panel 24 from which is bent the side panels 25 and 26. A top panel 21 is provided and has depending; from the front and side edges thereof flanges 28 which respectively engage the inner surfaces ofthe front and side panels and are welded or otherwise secured thereto. It will be portions of the covers.

appreciated, however, that this front section 20 may have its front, side, and top panels integral with one another as by being cast, drawn, or otherwise bent from a single piece of material.

The front panel 24- is provided at its lower end and intermediate the side panels with a finger opening 29 permitting of engagement with a cover as it is dispensed beneath the cabinet, and to effect this dispensing the front section is provided with no lower panel. The front panel 24, near its upper end and intermediate the sides thereof, is further provided with an aperture 39 through which projects the operating handle for the dispensing mechanism disposed within the cabinet. In addition, the front panel 24 has secured to it, as between the finger opening 29 and operating handle opening 36, a pair of opposed channel members EI and 32 which provide a holder for an advertising card, instruction card, or the like.

The rear section 2| of the cabinet, similar to the front section 26, is provided with a back panel 33 from the opposite sides of which project side panels 34 and 35. This back section 2| is provided with neither top nor bottom panels since the top is normally closed by the front section top panel 21, and since the lower panel is dispensed with to provide the opening through which the contents of the cabinet are disbursed.

The inner surface of the back panel 33 has secured to it near the upper end and projecting forwardly therefrom a pair of hooks 36 and 31 adapted respectively to enter holes or apertures 38 formed in the covers l5. Intermediate the edges of the back panel 33 and positioned to engage the lower or free ends of the flap N the said back panel is provided with means for forcing forwardly the flaps I6. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, this means is in the nature of a plate 39 having at one end thereof a flange 46 whereby the plate is welded or otherwise secured to the back panel. Projecting outwardly and downwardly from the flange 40 is the body portion 4| of the plate so bent and arranged as to place the free ends IQ of the flaps l6 ahead of the body In order to further insure the complete separation of the free ends of the flaps and body portions of the covers the plate 39 and suspension hooks 36 and 3'! are so related to one another and to the make-up of the covers that the edges of the body portion around the flap l6 are disposed beneath the body portion 4| of the plate 39 and thereby at all times preventing the body portions and flaps from being arranged in the same plane, and thereby preventing the possibility of the flap of the uppermost cover finding its way behind any of the underlying covers, and thereby insuring the dispensing of only one cover at a time.

Instead of utilizing the plate 39 as the means for properly positioning the flaps of the covers relative to one another, use may be made of blocks, as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. As here shown, there is cemented to the inner surface of the back panel a relatively square block 42 to the upper surface of which is cemented an elongated block or stick 43. By this arrangement, and as clearly illustrated in Fig. 9, the flaps l6 are disposed in a plane ahead of the plane containing the body portions of the covers. At the same time the elongated block or stick 43 through the portion which projects below the block 42, forms a lip, as at 44, on the upper surface of which are the flaps, while beneath which is the portion of the body portion adjacent to the flaps and thereby again providing a structure which will at all times prevent the flaps and body portions occupying the same plane, and will insure the dispensing of the covers one at a time.

Any suitable or desirable means may be utilized for actually effecting the dispensing of the covers from the cabinet. There is, however, illustrated in Figs. 2, 4, 5, and 6 an eificient dispensing mechanism. As shown in Fig. 4 this mechanism utilizes a pair of hooks 45 and 46 respectively disposed in the upper opposite corners of the front panel 24 and said hooks are welded or otherwise secured to the inner surface of the panel. These hooks have respectively connected therewith one end of springs 41 and 48 which have their other ends connected to the dispensing means.

This dispensing means is conveniently formed of a single length of wire and is provided at its central point with a finger piece 49, see Fig. 5, which projects through the dispensing orifice 30 formed in the front panel 24. Extending in opposite directions from the finger piece 49 are arms 50 and 5| respectively provided with loops 52 and 53 at their outer ends. The loops 52 and 53 have respectively connected therewith the inner ends of the springs 48 and 41. The loops 52 and 53 in addition have respectively depending therefrom legs 54 and 55 having their lower portions projecting normal thereto as at 56 and 51. The projecting portions 56 and 57 in turn have their outermost ends bent to project away from the inner surface of the front panel 24 and secured to said bent ends are feet or pads 58 and 59. These feet or pads 58 and 59 are circular as shown in Fig. 2 and are each provided with an aperture whereby they may be pressed onto the outwardly bent ends of the leg extensions 56 and 51 as shown in Fig. 6. It will be appreciated that while this is a simple and inexpensive method of providing a dispensing mechanism, other equally efficient mechanisms may be utilized instead.

The operation of this dispensing mechanism is as follows: A small amount of tension is placed in the springs 41 and 48 which elevates the dispensing frame to the position shown, that is with the finger piece 49 at the upper end of the aperture 39. When it is desired to dispense one of the covers l5, pressure is applied to the finger piece 49 which effects a counter clockwise swinging movement of the dispensing frame about an axis effected by the attachment of the springs thereto thereby forcing the cushions or feet 58 and 59 into engagement with the uppermost cover of the stack. Downward pressure on the finger piece 49 now causes the uppermost cover to be torn from the supporting hooks 36 and 31 and an ejectment beneath the cabinet. As soon as the cover makes its appearance beneath the cabinet it may be grasped by the free hand through the finger opening 29, or the cover may be allowed to fall from the cabinet by merely releasing pressure from the finger piece 49. The release of pressure from the finger piece 49 permits the ejector frame to swing in a clockwise direction or toward the front panel 24, and at the same time the springs 41 and 48, which were tensioned during the ejectment of the cover, will elevate the frame to its normal position. From this it will be seen that once the ejector mechanism is operated to release the cover, the cover will be free to fall from the cabinet if it is not grasped when it makes its appearance beneath the cab- Cal inet and prior to the release of the ejecting mechanism.

In order to prevent the cover from falling or dropping to the floor, or to an inaccessible position, a suitable catcher is suspended beneath the cabinet. This catcher, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is formed of a single piece of wire and includes a pair of depending arms 60 and 6! having their lower ends bent upwardly to form a trough 52 and connected together by the bar 63. The upper free ends of the arms Bil and iii are each provided with a hook 54 adapted to be passed through suitable apertures 65 formed in the back panel 33, one on each side of the center thereof.

The said back panel 33 may be further pro vided with suitable apertures such as to permit of the mounting of the cabinet in a permanent position as against a wall or the like. With the cabinet so mounted, and due to the angle of divergence between the catcher arms 6% and Bi and the hook ends 64, the catcher is disposed at the angle illustrated in Fig. 2.

Instead of the dispensing mechanism illustrated in Fig. 4, use may be made of the dispensing mechanism disclosed in Figs. 10 and 11. As shown in these views the dispensing mechanism aperture in the front panel is arc-shaped as shown at 61. Projecting through the aperture 61 is a finger piece 68 in the form of a wire loop similar to 49. Projecting from the wire loop 68 is one end 69 of the wire which is embedded in a rubber pusher, foot, or the like 10. Extending from the other side of the loop 68 is an arm ll having its free end pivotally mounted on a button or the like 12 projecting inwardly from the inner face of the front panel. Adjacent to the wire loop 58 but behind the front panel, the arm H is provided with a bend or eye 13 to which is attached one end of a spring 14 having its other end attached to a hook 15 which is in all respects sim ilar to the hook 46, above described, and mounted in substantially the same position as said hook.

The operation of this mechanism is quite similar to the operation of the dispensing mechanism described above, since the initial pressure on the finger piece 68 will, due to the spring in the wire arm ll, permit the pusher or foot 19 to engage with the topmost cover. Additional or downward pressure on the finger piece 68 causes the foot to eject the top cover from the cabinet by tearing same from its supporting hooks 36 and 31. Due to the rigid arm H connecting the finger piece 68 with the pivot point 62 the path of movement of the finger piece 68, and therefore the rubber pusher I0, is slightly arcuate when compared with the path of movement of the finger piece 49 and the dispensing mechanism operated thereby. The result, however, is the same.

It was noted above that the dispensing cabinet has its front section 2!! and rear section 2! hingedly connected by means of hinges 22 and 23. The particular structure for hinging these parts is illustrated in detail in Fig. 7 and as there shown the hinge plate 16 extends through an aperture 11 formed in the back section side 34 and lies adjacent the inner face of the back panel 33 and is welded in position. The other hinge plate E8 lies against the inner surface of the adjacent front side panel and is likewise welded in position. Each of these hinge plates 78 and 18 have their eye portions beyond the panels to which they are attached, as is usual and customary.

Any suitable or desirable means may be employed for locking the sections in a closed position. A convenient method of locking the parts is illustrated in Fig. 1 which comprises a headed screw 19 passing through a plane aperture 80 formed in the outer side panel 26 and threaded in a threaded aperture 8! formed in the back side panel 35.

From the foregoing it is believed now evident that there has been provided a dispensing cabinet for paper articles, such as toilet seat covers, which have integral therewith a movable flap, and in which no interference is ofiered by the said flap to the proper dispensing of these articles. It will further be noted that the structure herein described is relatively simple and inexpensive to produce, while efficiently operating as desired.

What is claimed is:

1. In a dispensing cabinet of the class described, the combination with a box-like housing having an opening in its lower end, of means for supporting within said housing a plurality of superimposed toilet seat covers, each having a rectangular body portion and a flap intermediate the boundaries of the body portion with the hinge of the flap with the body portion uppermost, and means within said cabinet underlying the flap to elevate same above the body portion and thereby separating the flap from the said body portion whereby the covers may be individually ejected from the cabinet through its opening.

2. In a dispensing cabinet of the class described, the combination with a box-like housing having an opening in its lower end, of means for suspending within said housing a plurality of superimposed toilet seat covers, each having a rectangular body portion and a flap intermediate the boundaries of the body portion with the hinge of the flap with the body portion uppermost, and means within said cabinet underlying the flap to elevate same above the body portion and thereby separating the flap from the said body portion whereby the covers may be individually ejected from the cabinet through its opening, and ejector -means supported by said cabinet interiorly thereof and operable from the exterior of the cabinet. 3. In a dispensing cabinet of the class described, the combination with a box-like housing having an opening in its lower end, of means for suspending within said housing a plurality of superimposed toilet seat covers, each having rectangular body portion and a flap intermediate the boundaries of the body portion with the hinge of the flap with the body portion uppermost, and means within said cabinet underlying the flap to elevate same above the body portion and thereby separating the flap from the said body portion whereby the covers may be individually ejected from the cabinet through its opening, ejector means supported by said cabinet interiorly thereof and operable from the exterior of the cabinet, and a catcher depending from the cabinet adapted to receive the articles as individually dispensed.

i. In a dispensing mechanism of the class described, the combination of a rear cabinet section, a front cabinet section hingedly connected with the rear cabinet section, each of said sections having their corresponding lower sides removed to provide an open bottom, means on one of said sections for supporting a plurality of flat, extended, superimposed toilet seat covers, said covers each having a flap integral therewith and movable relative thereto and suspended so as to have the hinge of the flap uppermost, means on one of said cabinet sections for disposing said flaps and body portion adjacent the free end of the flap in planes one above the other, and a dis #6 pensing mechanism for individually dispensing the covers through the cabinet open bottom.

5. In a dispensing mechanism of the class described, the combination of a cabinet having an opening in its lower end, supporting means within said cabinet adjacent the upper end thereof for supporting a plurality of unfolded superimposed toilet seat covers, each of said toilet seat covers comprising a body portion and a substantially oval shaped flap Within the bounding lines of the body portion, said flap and body portion being connected together at one of the small ends of the oval shaped flap and said covers being so supported within the cabinet as to have the connecting portion of the flaps uppermost, means underlying the flaps for elevating the said flaps above the plane of the said body portions, said flap elevating means being so positioned with respect to the supporting means that it will over lie a small portion of the body portion adjacent to the flap, and means operable from the exterior of the cabinet for ejecting the uppermost cover from the cabinet.

6. In a dispensing mechanism of the class described, the combination of a cabinet having an opening in its lower end, supporting means within said cabinet adjacent the upper end thereof for supporting a plurality of unfolded superimposed toilet seat covers, each of said toilet seat covers comprising a body portion and a substantially oval shaped flap within the bounding lines of the body portion, said flap and body portion being connected together at one of the small ends of the oval shaped flap and said covers being so supported within the cabinet as to have the connecting portion of the flaps uppermost, means underlying the flaps for elevating the said flaps above the plane of the said body portions, said flap elevating means being so positioned with respect to the supporting means that it will overlie a small portion of the body portion adjacent to the flap, means operable from the exterior of the cabinet for ejecting the uppermost cover from the cabinet, comprising a frame interiorly of the cabinet, engaging means on said frame spaced from the uppermost cover for contacting engagement with the said uppermost cover, and means suspending the frame relative to the cabinet, whereby initial operation thereof causes the frame to oscillate to bring its contacting members into engagement with the uppermost cover, whereupon continued operation effects an ejectment of the cover, said frame supporting means including springs for returning the frame to its initial position upon ejectment of the cover.

'7. In a dispensing mechanism for paper toilet seat covers, the combination with a cabinet having a discharge opening enclosing said paper toilet seat covers, said cabinet having a front, of an ejecting mechanism for individually ejecting the covers from the cabinet comprising a frame, means for supporting said frame immediately behind the cabinet front for oscillatory and longitudinal movement, contacting ejectment members on said frame and normally spaced from the uppermost toilet seat cover, and means projecting from said frame through the cabinet front for operating the frame in an ejecting direction, said operating means being so positioned relative to the frame and its supporting means as to cause, upon initial operation of the frame, an oscillation of the frame to cause the contacting members to engage with the uppermost toilet seat cover. and whereby continued longitudinal operation of the frame effects the ejectment of the cover.

8. In a dispensing mechanism for paper toilet seat covers, the combination with a cabinet having a discharge opening enclosing said paper toilet seat covers, said cabinet having a front, of an ejecting mechanism for individually ejecting the covers from the cabinet comprising a frame, means for supporting said frame immediately behind the cabinet front for oscillatory and longitudinal movement, contacting ejectment members on said frame and normally spaced from the uppermost toilet seat cover, and means projecting from said frame through the cabinet front for operating the frame in an ejecting direction, said operating means being so positioned relative to the frame and its supporting means as to cause, upon initial operation of the frame, an oscillation of the frame to cause the contacting members to engage with the uppermost toilet seat cover, and whereby continued longitudinal operation of the frame effects the ejectment of the cover, said supporting means for the frame including yielding means which is tensioned during the ejecting operation for returning the frame to its initial position.

9. In a dispensing mechanism of the class described, the combination with a cabinet for enclosing and supporting a plurality of superimposed paper toilet seat covers, of an ejecting mechanism within said cabinet comprising a substantially quadrangle frame disposed immediately behind the front of the cabinet, a spring connected with each upper corner of the frame for supporting the frame in an elevated position, a contact pusher member near each of the remaining lower corners of the frame and normally spaced from the uppermost cover, a finger piece projecting from the frame through the cabinet front and so positioned relative to the frame and to the spring suspension therefor as to cause, upon application of pressure, an oscillation of the frame about an axis determined, by the spring connection therewith to bring the pusher members into engagement with the uppermost toilet seat cover and .an ejectment of the said uppermost cover and tensioning of the supporting springs, which springs, upon release of pressure on the finger piece, returns the frame to its initial position.

10. In a dispensing mechanism of the class described, the combination of an enclosing cabinet for toilet seat covers having a discharge opening at the lower end thereof, means for suspending a plurality of unfolded superimposed toilet seat covers from one wall of said cabinet, said covers each comprising a rectangular body having a flap within the boundaries of the body and with a portion of the flap hingedly connected with the body and disposed uppermost when suspended, an inclined plate secured to the supporting wall of the cabinet projecting outwardly and downwardly from the cabinet Wall at the free ends of the flaps to hold said free ends of the flaps above the adjacent portion of the body of the covers and means operable from the exterior of the cabinet for ejecting the uppermost toilet seat cover through the cabinet opening.

11. In a dispensing mechanism of the class described, the combination of an enclosing cabinet for toilet seat covers having a discharge opening at the lower end thereof, means for suspending a plurality of unfolded superimposed toilet seat covers from one wall of said cabinet, said covers each comprising a rectangular body having a flap within the boundaries of the body and with a portion of the flap hingedly connected with the body and disposed uppermost when suspended, an inclined plate secured to the supporting wall of the cabinet projecting outwardly and downwardly from the cabinet wall at the free ends of the flaps to hold said free ends of the flaps above the adjacent portion of the body of the covers, and means operable from the exterior of the cabinet for ejecting the uppermost toilet seat cover through the cabinet opening, said inclined plate having a portion thereof overlying the adjacent portion of the cover body below the plane of the flap to maintain the said cover body and flap in separated planes.

12. In a dispensing mechanism of the class described, the combination of an enclosing cabinet having a wall portion, means on said wall portion for suspending a plurality of toilet seat covers each having a body and a flap within the borders of the body, said flap having a small portion thereof hingedly connected with the body and having this hinge portion uppermost when suspended Within the cabinet, a block projecting from the wall portion of the cabinet and underlying the free ends of the flaps for separating the said free ends of the flaps from the body and disposing the same in planes one above the other, and means operable from the exterior of the cabinet for individually ejecting the covers through the opening.

13. In a dispensing mechanism of the class described, the combination of an enclosing cabinet having a wall portion, means on said wall portion for suspending a plurality of toilet seat covers each having a body and a flap within the borders of the body, said flap having a small portion thereof hingedly connected with the body and having this hinge portion uppermost when suspended within the cabinet, a block projecting from the wall portion of the cabinet and underlying the free ends of the flaps for separating the said free ends of the flaps from the body and disposing the same in planes one above the other, and means operable from the exterior of the cabinet for individually ejecting the covers through the opening, and a second block disposed beneath the free ends of the flaps and projecting therebeyond to overlie the adjacent portion of the body and maintain the flaps and bodies of the covers in definite spaced planes.

ARTHUR E. ROZIN. HARRY R. ROZIN. 

